A rich quality life on a small budget.

Don’t “fight” it, just step out.

I love this photo. It’s gorgeous and it is a symbol of nature with all its ebbs and flows. This tree doesn’t “fight” against poor conditions, it doesn’t march and throw revolutions when the wind is too harsh or the rain too cold. It just goes with the flow and as a result, it grows in all sorts of directions and becomes more enchanting and mysterious. When it seeks the sun it grows a certain way, it turns itself too the light and when the wind blows it relaxes into it.

We are always fighting. Fight this, fight that. All that pumping of the fist and marching is really about ego trying to shine. It accomplishes things sometimes, but a silent stepping out or resistance would accomplish so much more at times…not all the time, but many times yes. Let’s look at an example I was pondering this topic this morning.

Recently there were some tuition hikes in the big colleges and Universities. They are already sky high and this is just absurd. We know all the hardship our students face in graduating with all the debt and how many countries around the world offer free educations right? So, our students gathered, made their cardboard signs, marched and rallied, pumped the fist, shouted into the megaphone. It went on for a few days and then they paid the fees and life went on. The college officials know this will happen. They raise the fees and then brace themselves for a mini revolution. They are smart and have seen it time and again, so it is a known fact that there will be angry students, scenes on the campus and then the students and their parents will cough up the money anyway because they think they have to go to this school to become anything worthwhile in this world.

Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Here is what would have worked and would make huge and great changes to our college and University system. If all the students from all the colleges, State and University levels, band together and withdraw. Oh, that’s crazy talk, Kate! Is it? If all the students, even 70% withdrew from college and the high schoolers about to attend also banned together refusing to enter until there was great change what do you think would happen to those colleges? Can you imagine the enormous amount of money lost with all those students withdrawing?

Sadly, money talks and that is why you see big corporations that really don’t give a f–k about the environment, suddenly making commercials about saving sweet, fluffy baby ducks and feeding the homeless, or Walmart touting it’s putting billions in bringing American factory jobs back to its own country. Why now? Is it because the head of this company woke up with a conscious? No, it’s because so many people stopped shopping there and sales have dropped so much that they have had to close hundreds of stores. Now they are listening.

You can march for this and that if it gets you off, however, withdrawing, stepping away, turning away, taking your money out of…that is what makes things happen. It’s quiet and boring, I know. I love yelling and waving my hands in the air too, but you can just go to a sporting event and do that.

Be aware of where you shop and what that company stands for. Pay attention to where you put your money and support. People love Walmart. I don’t. First off, their products are crap and come from other countries. I don’t mind supporting other countries, but the working conditions and pay for the people in those sweat shops is hideous. So we are sending all the jobs we supposedly need here in America, else where and then supporting shitty conditions for other people who are desperate. A double crime. Sad. Then Walmart is notorious for NOT taking care of its employees. They don’t give decent wages, they don’t give full time hours on purpose so they don’t have to give benefits. Most of their employees are on some form of government aid. Is this a company you want to support? They are wealthy and yet they don’t take care of their own people? They are so American, yet their employees are on food stamps?

That is just one of many companies and situations out there. Get smart people. Get smart and support what is good, what is sustainable, support companies that take care of our people and take care of the Earth for our children and grand children. And stop all that catterwalling!